Shoujo
by Queen Punk
Summary: Kiyone was content to love her Captain from afar. That is until a couple of crazy matchmaking hellcats decide to intervene.


Kiyone sometimes wishes her life was more like a shoujo romance. Where the tomboyish heroin falls in love and gets that love returned after a few comical mishaps and heartstring pulling moments. Or maybe it could be like love at first sight, the single glance where everything in the room falls away except for the romantic interest staring just as awestruck as you.

She loves shoujo, she really does. But, the truth is, her life will never be like one. Nor will anyone else's. You can't just walk up to a guy and confess and you also can't just expect the guy you fall in love with to love you back. Or even like you back.

The Third Seat scowled, polishing her zanpakuto furiously. She was a grown woman. She should not fantasize about her wonderful Captain. That she is completely bonkers for and he doesn't notice or return her love. Typical. Kiyone sends a cursory glance across her tiny apartment towards the large bookshelf with shoujo manga lined crookedly on all of the shelves.

_Those books only feed you lies_, she thought a little dejectedly. Kiyone knows she can't blame all her issues with her Captain on them. Captain Ukitake and her were of two different social classes, personalities, age. Hell, she was pretty sure if he even showed the faintest interest in her it wouldn't work out. She was too brash and unrefined and so obviously _young_. Not to say he was old, but her Captain held a certain air of serenity that was clearly refined by years of experience.

But then again…

Her mind wandered towards another that had fallen for a Captain. Lieutenant Ise. The strict woman was (sometimes happily) engaged to the still new Head Captain. Kiyone was still confused how the two had jumped right over the dating part of a romantic relationship and into about to get hitched in only a few weeks.

Their quirky relationship sometimes filled her chest with hop and other times with despair. Lieutenant Ise was younger than Captain Kyoraku. She'd even been raised in his Division! The two of them were complete opposites, with the Lieutenant being a workaholic and the Head Captain being a complete slacker.

Kiyone frowns at the last thought, knowing that during and now two months after the Quincy Blood War the once 'slacker' of a Captain had proven himself capable of hard work. He was rebuilding the Soul Society from scratch, bringing it slightly forward into the modern age while still keeping true to its feudal roots, filling in the vacant Captain and Lieutenant spots.

She sighs, as honorable as the Head Captain now was she still can't find it in her to forgive him for stealing her beloved Captain Ukitake away to some frivolous party when he should have been resting and recovering from his last bout of sickness.

The Third Seat once more glared at the manga. That's one more thing they don't include I shoujo. An ill partner who can collapse at any moment. She doesn't pity her Captain over his illness, as it is something that is part of him and helped shape his character. That doesn't mean it makes things any easier if they were to ever hypothetically get together. Admittedly, he has been healthier lately than she's ever seen him be. Kiyone smiles softly as she thinks of how energetic he's been lately, advising the other Captains with his wisdom and being one of the representatives of the Court Guard Squads for the Central 46. All while still keeping his Division running smoothly.

The issue over his illness is that he might not want to burden a woman(and she is a woman, despite what the short hair and small bust may lead many to believe) with his ailment. It would take time and patience to get him to see that Kiyone didn't care how frail his body was. She thinks he's beautiful inside and out.

A harsh grumble interrupts her thinking and she stands and stretches, trying to decide whether to eat out or slap something together.

In short, she knows shoujo is wrong and that it's formulated plots will never work for her.

But that doesn't stop Kiyone's heart from loving him.

/

**Author's Note:** I know, the prologue is a little boring. It's more or less here to give you insight on what's going on in Kiyone's head and how she feels. It's also here to vaguely show what's going on in the Soul Society after the war with the Quincys. The rest of the story will be a lot more crazy shenanigans.

This story is going to be very fluffy. Nothing dark will occur.

To give you guys a little hint as to how this story will progress this is how a picture a relationship between Jushiro and Kiyone occurring: A LOT OF HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS! The two of them will need to be nudged into it.

I plan on this fic having 10 chapters-including prologue and epilogue.

I hope you will enjoy reading!


End file.
